No-more-war Group

Georg – trainer for SCI Germany since 2006; mostly workcamp coordination seminars but also trained peace messengers, lead a weekend human rights seminar, an advanced coordinators seminar and participated in two summer universities (Rumania and Austria) and a nonviolent-communication & mediation seminar (Sweden). SCI has proven a wonderful ground for meeting amazing people and interesting ideas and dreams – creating a new future combined with hope!

Jenny – As for many other SCI activists my first workcamp was a turning point in my life! Since 2004 I’ve participated in (and organised) workcamps in Europe, Africa and Asia. Every project was a unique experience to me and I am looking forward to finish my first decade of volunteering with SCI :) Since 5 years I’m a board member of SCI Austria and had the chance to work on the international level. I joined the peace messengers as I’m very interested in the promotion of peace as the core mission of SCI! That’s why I am part of the NO MORE WAR team! Apart from enjoying working with this energetic team I focus on peace education and get to know projects which are still strongly related to our roots of non-violence & anti-militarism. After the First World War people united to work together and demonstrate peaceful cooperation – I got inspired by this idea when I heard about it for the first time. It’s amazing to me cooperating with people from all around the world within this campaign who are working for the promotion of peace by following the principles of non-violence! We may not stop all conflicts going on, but together we can make a clear statement against the ideology of war – and that’s why I’m part of this action.

John – citizen of UK, did a first workcamp back in 1975, a solidarity camp for disabled children, victims of the Vietnam war. Vols from 16 countries raised ten thousand DM within 3 weeks. The experience inspired me to continue my involvement and become a long-term volunteer, both in Germany and later Poland at the time of Solidarnosc. After returning to Germany in 1981 I was appointed coordinator of SCI’s international working group contributing to breaking down stereotypes, prejudice and enemy images between East & West. Since 1992 I am staff project officer with SCI Germany responsible for coordinating volunteer exchanges with the CIS, South-East Europe and Central Asia. Essentially I strongly believe that in this day and age all wars are both unnecessary, stupid and wasteful which is why I support this Action and help try to prove that there exist feasible & more meaningful, common sense alternatives to wars, military expenditure & (structural) violence and that all conflicts can be solved by non-violent means.

Matteo – I have been involved with SCI since 2004. In the summer of 2003 I was in mongolia volounteering with another NGO building houses one of the last days I went out eating in ulaanbataar and there by chance I met two SCI vols (a french man and an australian woman) they explain me how to get envolve with SCI. Since that I did three workcamps in the south (thailand 2004 teaching english, togo 2007 and 2008 did theater with disable kids ). Moreover I have been a north-south trainer since 2005 and trainer of normal workcamp coordinators. I have been on the national board since 2007, before as a trustee and then later as national treasure. I coordinated a couple of youth exchanges and workcamps in italy as well. Outside of sci, most of my trainer’s experience comes from theater. I have done a social theater school where I had the chance of do stage with many directors italian and international. I also had the chance to do an european stage with armando punzo in voltera prison. After finish the school I took part in some event with the company at international theater festivals in germany and italy and lead theater workshop in school (elementary to middle schools mainly) and in the social field (with former prison mate, people with different abilities etc). Since 2005 I have been envoled with TO (Theater of the Oppress), I have worked with rui frati, director of the theater of the opprime at paris, and other italian directors. In the TO I have been both and actor and a jolly and led many theater forum and stages for and with other actors. I activate in this action since I belive war are always stupid and we should do something about to swing people to use peace weapons instead of the stupid war ones. The war machine is everywhere and we should do something to disassemble it.

Mihaela

“I find it quite hard to select just one idea in which I believe, but if I would have to choose on, it would be: “Follow your happiness and the universe will open doors for you where were just walls.” I think this happened to me in 2010 when I joined an EVS project at the Greek branch of SCI. During my 10 months experience, I have discovered more than I ever expected. People were working for ideas in which I was finding myself and, even more, in which I truly believe in, such as: solving conflicts in a non-violent way, trusting that peace is not a utopian idea and social equality. Since I have joined SCI, I’ve participated to NMW’s various trainings, seminars, workshop on conflict resolution and a work camp in Greece for people with disabilities. Recently, I joined the work of the NMW group and I started to work closely with SCI RO (between others activities, on long term volunteering projects) and this summer I will coordinate my first NMW work camp. When I am writing this, I’m working in Switzerland, in a centre for asylum seekers as a long term volunteer. “

Valerie

Wilbert – Dutch nationality, since 2008 living in Indonesia. Attended his first workcamp in 1993 in Croatia, during the Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian war. He experienced, while in a refugeecamp, for the first time himself how war can destroy everything. Stayed involved for a long time in the Balkans, was amongst others long term volunteer in Serbia and pathfinder and country-coordinator Macedonia for Balkan Sunflowers in 1999, just after the war in Kosovo. Later on active in general in SCI on peace-education and working in conflict areas. Besides this, active in non-violent anti-war action and legal aid/direct action, supporting refugees/migrants.

 

Trained no-more-war camp coordinators:

2010 Wustrow, Germany:

Anjeza, Anne, Barbara, Endri, Felix, Francesco, Gosia, Hanna Ruth, Heli, Lina, Lucie, Manila, Marina, Mike, Nadja

2011 Wustrow, Germany:

Ágnes, Artur, Bao, Chris, Ip Chun, Isidora, Kateryna, Malenka, Marieke, Mihaela, Nwabata, Om Sharan, Simon,  Tea, Thomas, Silvia, Valerie, Verjana, Yulia